Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty says the New York Jets defense has players who simply do not want to tackle. Jeanty, who ranks 49th in the league with 3.1 yards per carry, believes he can make them look bad. He did not name names, but he was clear about his confidence in his own run game.
Jeanty admitted he saw the Jets defense struggle in their last loss to the Dolphins. The Jets surrendered 156 rushing yards in that game. Next Gen Stats data shows that running back Ollie Gordon II of Miami forced 10 missed tackles, a career high. The Jets lost that game, and Miami scored a 63-yard touchdown after safety Minkah Fitzpatrick failed to stop the runner. Jeanty knows the Jets rank 21st in missed tackle rate at 12.9 percent.
The Run Game Dig
Jeanty has not had a great season yet. He averaged only 3.7 yards per carry as a rookie last year. This year, that number has dropped to 3.1 through seven games. The Raiders are on a four-game losing streak. Despite this, Jeanty smiled when asked about the upcoming matchup. He told reporters, according to the New York Post, “I think we can definitely get the run game going, get back on track and just really get after these guys.”
He then dropped the specific insult about the Jets. Jeanty said, “Couple of guys out there that don’t really want to tackle, but I’m not going to say names.” This comment hit the Jets players hard. Several members of the Jets defense said they heard the insult. They decided not to fight back at the second-year running back directly. The Jets offense ranks 31st in the league with 74.7 rushing yards per game, which makes Jeanty’s threat even more dangerous if he can break free.
Fitzpatrick Takes the High Road
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick responded to the comments on Thursday. He said the insult caught his eye, but he would not let it change his play. “Of course, whenever our name is brought up, it catches our eye, but the way I operate, I go out there and play 110 percent effort, no matter who I’m playing against, no matter what they say,” Fitzpatrick said. He added that outside noise can add fuel to the fire, but he must do his job. Fitzpatrick is a key part of a defense that has allowed 128.1 rushing yards per game this season.
Cornerback Jarvis Brownlee was more blunt in his response. He posted on social media, “Stand on that, woe.” When asked at his locker, Brownlee gave a short answer. “We’re gonna see Sunday,” Brownlee said. The Jets are 2-5 and looking for a bounce-back performance. They face a Raiders offense that is struggling to move the ball, but Jeanty is the one player who believes he can break their will.
Defensive Coordinator’s View
Defensive coordinator Brian Duker said he has confidence in his players. He admitted there is room for improvement in the run defense. “I’ve got plenty of confidence in our guys,” Duker said. “I think it can be better.” He noted that the past game had some technique issues he was not happy with.
Duker said he wants to keep things schematically specific to how they fit. He did not feel like the team executed well enough. The Jets must fix these issues before Sunday. If Jeanty can exploit the missed tackles, the Jets could face another long day.
